Indicator for piano or organ keyboards



March 9 1926. 1,576,004

E. ROSENBERG INDICATOR FOR PIANO OR ORGAN KEYISOARDS Filed Feb. E, 1925 2 Sheets-Shea?l 2 raaf 43 37 INVENTOR waxosetooarg BY www@ AITORNEY Patented l EDWARD aosnnnae, OF'BRQOKLYN, New YORK.V

Y c 1,576,004 PATENT orl-lcl-z.v

' ,-finnrcn'roa ron rIANo oa QRGAN VKEYisoarms.

Application filed February 2 1925. kSerial No; 6,301.

To all who-m tm/dy concern: 'v

Be 1t known that I, EDWARD RosnNBnRe,

V a citizenof the United States, and aresident of New York, e county of Kings and State ofVV New York,.-v

borou'ghof Brooklyn,r in the have invented certain new and useful Im- Y provements anlndicator for'Piano or v. Organ-Keyboards, of which the following is ga full, clear-,candrexact specification. Y 1oA This invention relates more particularly to a: class offslmplified music teaching sys- My. inventifv nhas for its objectprimarily tio-provide a systern'or method including ele- Sharps,- double sharps, f flats,k double flats,

yments designed to be employed for enabling persons to teach themselves to play the piano orY organ without the services of f instructors, andk wherein z' is dispensed with the -use of many of the signs and characters such as trills and other symbols which contribute to j make the Ilsystem vof 'playing musical compositions by notes so difficult vto learn and zjbecome L proficient player. vWhile the system especially contemplates'A affording personsl whomay notbe familiar with the notes VofmusicL4 but ,whoy are musically inclined;

that is, who can singy-humk or whistlel a. melody or song, an opportunity to'correctly playfthe music thereof .in harmony. The

system `may' alsor beadvantageously emplolyed for ipractice purposes and in other ,ways by advanced .players of pianos and organs. f Y Y Y i The invent-ion consists essentially of a guide surface element or board which may be a single unit, or divided into-two vmembers or parts for being removably positioned above thefinger board of a piano-or organ. On the I.exposedlface ofthis surface element are black; and whitesectionslof .widths and in Y related positions corresponding with the playing .keys ofthe fingerv board of the in.

strument. Onone ofthe sections of the surface'` element is a pilot or guide lsymbol adapted to be registered'with a central pl ay` p ing key of the instrument to indicate that.

' the-,keys-onone side thereof are to `be played wirhthe left hand and the keys on the other side'thereof are to'be played with the rightl hand. Included in the system isa separate sheet` element for being removably positioned on'the surface element, and on this sheet elementarev kblack-and white sections ofkvwidths andv in related positions corresponding to a determined 'number of the Velement'is also ay guide symbol forbeing Vthe Lsections o-f the sheet element are symbols ring drawings forming a partA of this speci- Yparts of the proved system for playing pianos` and Yorgans as employed in conjunction with the f white and black sections of the surface element.y VOn oneof the sections of the sheet registered with the guide symbol of the surface relement to also register determined sections of the sheet elementv with determined sections of the surface element. or otherwise provided on a number orall of preferably in .the forms of consecutive numerals representing the successive notes i and vrvalues or counts thereof of a given composition of music corresponding tothe respective keys of the piano or oigan for playing the music. By playing the keys in successive order as indicated bythe consecutive numeralsvand their counts theplaying of the musical composition may be accomplished correctly and in harmony by persons who' may. not have a knowledge of the notes of music. Y Y

VVith-these and other objects in view, the invention will be hereinafter morefully described with reference tothe accompanyiication in which similar characters of yreference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and will then be pointed out in the claims-at the end of the description.

In the drawings, Figure l is a` fragmentary view showing a front elevation of elements'includedlin my imfinger board of the instrument.'

Figure 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the sheet element usedinjthe system. Fig. 3 is a sectional viewltaken longitudinally through the sheet element shown in 95 s Fig. 2, and n d Fig. t illustrates a number of the charf acters used in the system vfor playing a musical composition. I v. vIn thesystem is provided a surface element or guide lO whichV is preferably in the form of. a substantially rectangular board of suitable width and of a length corresponding to the length of theV finger board, as A, composed of the 'white keys B and the black keys C of a piano or organ', not shown. The surface element or board l0 may be of card board, binders board,' wood 4or other material, and the surface element may be in the form of a singleu'nit or divided asin-` d-icated'in dotted lines, at D, if desiredinto two or more members orparts, as l1, lla.

Inscribed l l gitudinal llin'eslvfl `which extend the entirel 4length of -tlie surfaoe element and.v by inscribing or otherwise providing spacedpar-v v allel vertical lines`"1'5?"which`.extend frein t'lie lower edge offtlie surfaceelement-tothe longitudinal line l15'. fEacli section 'of the .row 112 inei'gesfrvi'tli eacliI section of the row f13,and eaoli pairof'the sectionsinay, therevfo-re,vbe considered asone section- 16.V The sections 16 are of vWidths correspondingapjeroXiinaftelyv tothe Widths Iofthe White Vkeys and black 'keys 'of fthe finger board of 'the' instrument. The :surface guide eleinent 10 is arranged above the yfinger board A so that each'of the sections, ligis` in register` fith lveac'li ofthe keys of the linger Y board.

areaof the number ofthe sections. 15 'coi'- `responding tothewliite keys .B of 'the'linger yboard are preferably white, as 17,* and the ventire area or one-half`r ofthe areaoff the number of the'jsections 16 are preferably` black, .as 1K8. Tlief Whit-e sections"A 16 lare alined with theffWliite keys of the VfingerV boardyand the' black sections 18 are alined` with theblaokik-eysof 'the `linger' board of A andtheorder n'whicli 'tlienotes ofa musical" composition sho-nld be played aretransposed the -pianofor organ for permitting" a: person to' ,qnerlyfobserve l'and Understand* .Whieh' f the dass; of' kersf thenge' board should be Aplayed.)[On one of' 'the central White keys B ofthe fingerboard A isV inscribed agnide syinbol`19 Whicli'inay'ibe in the `form of the letterC, anden/one or" the central White sectionsV 17 ofthe snrface'element 10 maybe insoribe'd a guidefsyinbol '2O also in the forinfof a letter 'C' Wliiehiis in register Wi'thfthe letter Cgof the surface elevnient to indicate tothe playerp'o"v the instrunientA that thevvkeysV of tlie fingerboard to the 'left of these registered guide symbols Vare to bev played With the left hand and that the 'keys of the ingerfboardjtotlie'right of these registered guide symbol-s `are l to A"be played Witlitheriglit hand,vv as explained by "the Wordings Efaiid l?, respectively,I inas employed in the system in scribed on the surface` element attire sides of the. guide? symbol 2.0 of thehsiiri'aee element l Y included in the systeinis a sheet Aelement *i 21 .of preferablya substantially rectangular shape, andthis'slieet .element may be o1" f paper or other suitable material appropriate for inscription thereon of characters yrepresentiiigthe notesof a musicalcoinposition.

y The .sheet element '21 may also beof a sinii lar or smallersize thanrtlie surface guide ele# nient 10, and one a'ce of the-sheet eleinent the longitnd-inafl-sectiens'v 213 as desired Ynumber andfin Widths "to the White `and i White, 'as

Vof the sectionsQZ of the sheetfpeleinent Ziff TheA end b'lack sections may be 'ad blank marginalg portion, as V28, 'on rwhich in-ay'- be inscribed" 'glje consecutivek order erin-series Witliftlije: numerals ,of eachzseries in jconsecutive rela-q1 tion for indicating to a player who may rnot cordingjtoftlie successive symbols or nug'v l Y ,ineralsand their Values thepnotcs olf/the "f 'struinent Fig. 4 4illustrate-sv altable or index is divided into'vertical sections 'QQ'.:and intoV longitudinal section-S323. The kvsections are provided by inscribing on the slieetelenient spacedxparalilel longitudinal lines 221- d across the sheet element, l and as inany "off c provided. lThe sectians 22 areprovided. by inscribing on the sheetv element. space1 i parallel verticalY lines v2501i ,tlieflsheet ele-1. nient. The verticalsections 22 correspond in'r` black sections 17, 18 of 4the surface element. A nuinber of t'li-esecftions 22 are preferably Y l 26, to correspond Witliv tliejwliite sections '17 Vof thesurface element 10y andS with the White' keys'B of the finger board of' the i'n'stri'nne'nt; and j theflower end por-A tions oiB tlie'otlier sections 22 are preferably black, .as 2?,.to correspond 'wtli'tlie black L. vseetionsfl of the surface element l'Oand'.p .;44 with tliebl'ack keys C of the inger-,boaifd ofthe instrument. Tlie'upper end .portions-g inay also be black, as shown, to enable rthe player to quickly discern the bla-ckfseotions V27 'and to also enable the player to readily distinguish they whiteV sections 26 Vfrom ltlie"n blaclsecti'ons'. On the upper lengtlnvis edge of the sheet element 21. above'its White.

the titlgor subject matter as 299 of a music'al; composition. l y l Theno-tes, the yalves'and counts tlier'eoif in tlii's'systeinfinto syinbolsof any distinc-V tive character, such-as numerals, as 30. 1.?. prefer to employrthe numerals in eitherfsin- :be familiar with the notesv of inusiothat by playingthe keys'o-the piano or organ ac- 110v inusio Will be 'correctly` played von the inf vof the syinbolsgus'ed in this jsysteni Afor repegy resenting the Valuesor counts offthe notes of music, and intliisin'dex Ilnse tliesingle numeral 5? `for indicating the notes, insteadof using the V different,n'uinerals in succession nioy Y l practice andas shown r'on the sheet element 21'." i VThe count or Value of a noteof innsic corresponds to one second -ot'a period Vof tinie, v and is played `on a piano or organ by keepj ing' its respective key "in a downward posi tion for .such 'a period. The Vsymbol 31 represents a Whole not-e of foui'eounts; `the syi-nbol 32l represents a Ynote of six yCount Q y value; the symbol represents a note/of yseven counts; f thefsyinb'ol 34 represents Ya half" note of two counts the Ysymbol 35l v.rep

resent-s .anote offthree counts; the symbol 36 .representsxa quarternote" of one count;

Ythesymbol 37V represents an eighth note; the

symbol 38represents a sixteenth note; the

symbol 39, represents a thirty-second note; y .the .symbol- 40- .represents a sixty-fourth vnote; the synibol 4l represents a grace note for beingplayed in a time kcorresponding to the countof afsiXty-fourthnote; the `symb'ol v42 represents a legato note for connecting L the-'note to another note;y in a limited number of counts; the symbol 43y represents another .legato note for connecting-the note ,to-other notes .which are played in quick succession; the symbol 44 represents still another legato note forV represents a tie for 'ndicating that when one xor more' notes of a chord is played the kvalue .thereof is retaineduntil Ythe note orl notes of the. following chord is played. A I The sheet element may be removably supported'on the surface' -ii'ieansY offspaced pins, as Y46, or otherwise,

and at thev lowerA endY of one rofthe central white sections 26 of .theA sheet element 1s a 7 guide symbol 4in-tlie form. of the letter' C.

The sheet element is positionedon the sur- -faceyjelementi so that this symbol 47 is in: register Vwith the symbols 2Q and 19 of the surfacefel'ement and of the ylinger board A of `the instrument VforVv indicating that the note symbolson-thesheet element at the left of thegn'ide symbolj47 are-'to beplayed with the "left hand andftliat'the note .symbols on thesheet elementl at the Yright of the guide j symbol '47 are to bey played-with the right hand. Y 1

the. playing thereof, 1 and a number of the syinbols/-shown'in the: indeXfin Fig. 4 are ./Vhilethe black white V vert-ical sectionsr26, 27.of-the sheet element-2l correspond tothe keys of the finger board of the pianoand organ, the longitudinal sectionsof the'fslieet" element represent chords.

vThe sheet1el`ement-21 shown in the drawings illustrates'part of a well known song trans- -iiito-fgthis system for simplifying changed Sto consecutivesingle'iiumerals .and .2 50

to: consecutiveY series of numerals havingi their respective count or` value symbolsv as.

sociated therewith.A symbols series of the nninbersffor symbols are. alsoV The singley numerals or are fe'ach playedas a chord, and each playedgas av chord. Arsy shown, theseparate chords `are provided in the successive longitudinalssect-ions23 -beginning with the upper longitudinal chord section loffthe sheet elementi-'The `first note of the'musical composition or songr `illustrated is transposed into'tlie `numeral oney as thesymbol 37. The

notes of-.the next chord of the song, which visiplayed 1 651, played` in" the time after playing :the symbol 37, are indicated by the symbols and 38, and .twofof these. notes Vare played.

-ndicatingthat several notes are to be. played vin .succession and'y thev symbol 45 guide element 10 by `f Amake suoli changes as fairly with each handof the player. Two ofthese notes are legato notes 42 and .the Vkeys of t-he instrumentV is held in ,downward position .until the note numeral threefof the chord'belowv is played. One of .the yother numeral notes .two vis also .aY legato `note 43v and this key of .the instrument is pressed indownward position until the numeralsthree and four in the next followingfchord sections 23 "are played. The remainder ofthe notes `ofthescng are played according to the consecutive single symbols or; the consecutive series of symbols inscribedlin the chord sections 23 and in the black an'dwliite sections 26 which lfollow those above explained. Where the ltie symbol-45 is indicated on the sheetelement the. noteor notes associated therewith are connectedly played vv'iththe vnotes in the other chord sections to which vthe symbol 45 represented yby an arrow n points.

Various musical compositions may be transposed in this improved system for allowing persons to readily playthemon the piano or-organ vwithout requiring a knowledge aiid the skill required. for playing music by notes.V i f In the foregoing description, I have embodied the preferred form of my invention,l but-I vdo not wish to `be understood gas limiting myself thereto, as I am aware thaty modifications maybe made therein without departing from the principle or sacrificing advantages `of this invention,

`of the musical instrument, said ,surface eiement having white and black sect-ions of widths and in relatedposi-tions corresponding to the playing keys of-thefingerboard of the instrument, a guide symbol ,on the surface-element for being registered with af given central playing key oftheinstrunient to indicate that the playing keys on one side secure by Letthereof are to'be played with the `left hand Y and the playing keys on the other side thereof are tobe played with the right hand, a separate sheet elenientfor beingremovably positioned on the surface element and having white and black sections ofwidths and `in related positions corresponding to a determined number of white and black sections of the surface element, aguide symbol on one of the sections of the-sheet element for being registered with the guide symbol of the surface element to also register determined sections of the sheet element with determined sections. ofthe surface element, and consecutive indicatingsymbols on tlie oov -f`gsections"lof the fslieetelement representing the*consecutivefnetesorga 'given -composi- 'to the {ti-on of music correspon ti've ym' y y"reiinovflilbly positione'diabove. th

ing to the respeci2. `In av systemv for playing pianos and orgaiisgra yguide surface element or being p e finger board ,of Vftlie "musicalk instrument', said surface eley:1n-eruit' having av ite and blackfsecti'ons of ths and in? elated positions correspondplaying keys of the iinger board "of 'the iiistruni'ent, fa guide symbol on` the `vsurface -'element v'for 'being Vregistered with fi-given central playing lrey of theinstrullment to "in-dicafte'tl .t' the 'pla-ying keys on one 'sifflethereof are to be-p'la'yed` witlifthe fot' y'Widths and iii related Aposit-ions coi-ie? sidetlieieo are 'toi'be'played Wit-li the right hand, fa separate -slieet elementVV for-being removably positioned 'on lthe surface eleyment l"nd havingiyhite and black 'sections Vsponding/ toga Pdetern'iin'e'd number of White and' black sect1-ons fot the rsurface element, a guide symbolonjone of tliea'sectionsof the 'fshfeet'eelement fior/being registered with the guild'e symbol of 'the surface element to alsov Y register determined sect-ifons'ofV the sheet-ele- 0 m'entfwitli determined sections ofthe' surface `felement, consecutive indica-'ting symbols on ing fthe consecutivenotes :of a given coml f music corresponding-to the respe'c' ey keys of 'the instrument for playing the music, and said note symbols Yincluding associate symbols for indicatiilig thefcounts of the note symbols-"f l Y Y 3. In a system for playing pia-nos and organsL-a guide Vsurface elfementfor being removably positioned above'the fingerboard e' otlie f musical instrumen-t, said', `surface element llira'vin-g vn'hite and black vsections of lWidthsand in related positions corresponding tothe playing keys ofthe iingeiiboard of 'the instrument,`-a"guide symbol-on the 'surface'felement forbeing registered with a given centr-al playing key of thev instrument to 'indicate that the playing` keys onone side thereof `areftofbe,played Withthe-left han-d and the playingflieys on the other=side=tlierefof are-to be played WitlifV the 14rightlliand,av 9 separate sheet element for being removably positioned on thesurface" element `and having White and b-lackpsections of Widthsy and 'in related positions corresponding to a deftermined"numberof WhiteV and black sectronsofthe surface element,V aguide symbol on one-ofthe sectionsof the "sheet element torbeing 'registered With the guide symbol otth-e surface element toV also register [determined sections of tlie sheet element withY determined sections of thefsurface 'element7 consecutive indicating symbols on the sec-v ftionsfo theV sheet element representing the lzeyjs ott tlrezinstrfument ffor playing the.

Y nsveoofi f music cori'espondifngto `the respective leys foi the instrument ttor symbbis,V and 4a numberot the note symbols` .also including symbols for including legato .Y s

playing-y `=of symbols with other 'd'etermined symbolsV i f Y 4.4111 ral system organs, a guidel surface element for being removably positioned l:abovelthe `linger-board oij thewmnsical "instrument, said surfaceelenient-having White Yand black sections-of Widths and in' related `'positions correspond# ing to the playing keyso't the i'inger board 'Y yotthe instrumen-tja guide symbol lonjth'e .surface 'element yfor being registered VWithza f given central-playing key oi the instrument to indicatetliai; the lplaying lkey-s *on 'one side thereof lare t0 ybe played with theleftf Y v hand :andthe playing Ykeys on'tlieother side thereolt` are to be played with the rightfhand, l

a separate. sheet ,element for being reni'ov- Vably'positioneden tlie'siirra'ce' element and Vhaving White :and Vblack sections of Widthsj related positions correspending'ytoa"1f` and in c letermin'ved-"number olie lWhite and black f sections of the surface element, "a gui-de rsymf .-1

bol 'on' one of, the sections of the sheet-cles nient 'forV being registered with f'ther'guide symbol of thegsurface elementto also regis`` "ter determined sections of the sheet elernent* f with y determined sections of the surfacev .eleim n t: on 'thejsections' olf the sheet 'element repre'-` senting.thezconsecu'tivenotes or 1a ygiven com-" f f position of music corresponding to tlieje-` ment, and consecutive indicating symbols Vspective keys of the instrument for playing Yconsecutive notes yofl alg-ivan composition offf i Playing the music, s'` e Said lnotefsyinbols including associate fsymboisr` iior .indicating :the: counts 'of the note,

'f0.1' playing 'pianos sandifll'ilf l i fthe musi-c, said note symbolsincluding Jas-f1.05' 'i aeg sociate symbols for indicatingv the counts otl'the note symbolsy-a number 0i' vthewnote symv bols also including symbols for indicatingle-v gato playing of the symbols with other -deter! mined symbols and 'the note symbols also in cludiiig-tie symbols for indieatingthatetlie`.A j

symbols (of different 'chords to be connectedly played.;

5g. Inasystein `for playing 'piansand liorgans, rasubstantiallyj rectangula-il 'guided board' for being removably positioned above' fthe'iinger board For the ini'isicalinstrument, said guide board'having White andblackf i ysections of Widths-and. inrelated positionsr i 'corresponding toy the playing' ,keys of the-7i y finger board of the instrument; a vseparate. ap-

proxiinately rectangular sheet element lforv j being removably positioned V von the guide boardvanfd having Whiteaud |blank sections yof -widths v and in frelated!positionsl corre-` A spondingto a Ydetermin'ed number of.r white and black Asections of the guide boards con -secutivvej indicating Vsymbols on theV sect-i is of tli'e sheet element representing the co1 V'sccutive. notes of'a grven- -compositionuof musicv corresponding to the :respective keys of the instrument fior'v playing the" music,` andi `said*` note symbols Vincluding lassociate* v, symbolsffor indicating the counts of the note- Y1,5%004Y A organs,l a substantially rectangular guide y Y board'for'being. removably positioned above the. -ngerfboardf of athe musical instrument,

also legato playing of the symbols'with other determined symbols7 yand a number of and black sections of the guide board, *consecutiye indicating symbols yon 'the sections of the .instrument for playingV the music,

said note symbols including associate sym-` bols for indicating the counts of the note.

of the sheet element Vrepresenting the consecutive notes of' a 'given' composition of` music corresponding to the-respective keys` symbols, a number of the. notef symbols 1 including .symbols for indicating the;y note symbolsincludingV tie symbols for:`

indicating that the symbols ,of dil'erent f chords are to bey conne'ctedly played. f y

This specification signedv this 31 day of nosENB'ERG;

January A. D. 1925. L

u l EDWARD 

